Accidents happen, and they inevitably shake our world. When an accident happens to you or a loved one, it is frightening, especially if there are significant injuries. Many vehicle accidents involve only property damage and not to the occupants of the car or truck. If you have been injured due to another driver’s negligence, it is appropriate to decide if you need to contact a lawyer about the incident. For example, a small wreck may seem straightforward and uncomplicated and make it hard to decide if you need an auto accident attorney in Tampa, FL, or any of the surrounding areas.

Most of the time it’s never too early to speak with an attorney after you’ve been in a vehicle accident. If the accident involved a serious injury that required a visit to a doctor, consult with an attorney immediately. Also, if the police report doesn’t describe the events of the accident as they happened, an attorney can help. As well, your attorney can help when the insurance company is pushing you to settle too quickly. The staff at The Law Offices of James G. Souza III, P.A., Attorney at Law, is knowledgeable about all manner of car accident cases and can help you during this stressful time.

]]>537The Nature of Personal Injury Lawhttps://www.jimsouzalaw.com/the-nature-of-personal-injury-law/
Fri, 27 Jul 2018 20:59:18 +0000http://www.jimsouzalaw.com/?p=530Personal injury cases are defined by some kind of negligence claim on the part of another person. The person that does the injuring has done something that is responsible for another’s injury. If someone else has been responsible for your injury, seek to resolve your case through a formal lawsuit or an informal settlement. The following are some of the most common types of personal injury cases:

Car Accidents

Harmful Drugs

Birth Injuries

Food Poisoning

Gun Injuries

Slip-and-Fall Accidents

Dog Bites

Take certain steps to build your case in order to help you file a successful personal injury claim. The staff at The Law Offices of James G. Souza III, P.A., Attorney at Law, a leading personal injury law firm in Tampa, FL, suggests the following steps to help you with your potential case:

Describe the incident in writing with as much detail as possible.

File a police report.

Obtain medical records.

Take pictures of the scene of the accident.

Take these steps as soon as possible after the incident. If you or a loved one has been involved in a personal injury case, call (813) 254-9205 for cases involving clients that live in Tampa or any of the surrounding areas.

Depending on the jurisdiction, the laws related to slip-and-fall accidents may differ. They also depend on the place where the incident happened. If you suffered a traumatic brain injury caused by a slip-and-fall accident, talk to a personal injury attorney in your area as soon as possible.

There can be major consequences from a slip-and-fall accident. While it’s not common knowledge, traumatic brain injuries are one of the most serious consequences of a slip-and-fall incident. When someone suffers from a traumatic brain injury or TBI, the results can be migraine headaches, confusion, chronic dizziness, nausea, and more. These effects may last for the rest of the victim’s entire life. That’s why it’s important to find a brain injury attorney in Tampa, FL, that is experienced in TBI cases. You can start with a free case review at no obligation at The Law Offices of James G. Souza III, P.A., Attorney At Law.

The first step in establishing the responsible party of the accident is to identify the cause. The liability for an accident establishes the responsible party and shows they knew or should have known about a dangerous condition. The most common conditions that lead to slip-and-fall accidents include all of the following:

Water or Ice

Grease or Oil

Power Cords

Loose Carpeting

An Uneven Surface

Poor Lighting

Clutter or Debris

Contact The Law Offices of James G. Souza III, P.A., Attorney At Law when you think your slip-and-fall incident resulted in a traumatic brain injury. Our experienced attorney offers a free consultation to help you determine whether or not you have a case.

Vehicle airbags are meant to provide drivers with peace of mind. They are tucked inside the dashboard of a car or truck, ready to protect us from harm in a major accident. However, there are times when the device that is meant for protection becomes the source of an injury, and sometimes that injury is as serious as a traumatic brain injury or TBI. Damage from an airbag often occurs in the form of TBI, which is a serious head injury that may even lead to death. A traumatic brain injury can be the result of an open head wound or a closed head injury, which is when a person experiences a concussion.

The head is a critical part of the body that should be protected in a car accident. But the impact from an explosive airbag can damage the head in a crash by causing skull fractures and concussions. A great deal of damage can lead to brain swelling or unconsciousness.

If you or someone you love has suffered head trauma from an airbag, contact an experienced brain injury attorney in Tampa, FL. The Law Offices of James G. Souza III, P.A., Attorney At Law, is a personal injury law firm that has successfully fought for and won settlements for clients with traumatic brain injuries.

Even in the most caring medical settings, mistakes can happen. If a medical provider fails to provide the right level of care—in diagnosis or treatment—that mistake may cause harm to a patient. Medical malpractice claims are made in the event of deadly or life-altering mistakes made by a doctor, hospital staff, or another health-care professional. The most common reasons patients or their families file for medical malpractice include all of the following:

Failure to Diagnose Correctly

Childbirth Injuries

Anesthesia Mistakes

Misdiagnosis

Delayed Diagnosis

Improper Treatment

Surgical or Medication Errors

Failure to Warn Patients of Known Risks

Among the most common in the list above are surgical errors, which can cause nerve, tissue, or organ damage. Some surgeons have even been known to operate on the wrong side of the patient and have amputated the wrong limb. The most common causes of medical malpractice claims for outpatients are misdiagnoses or failure to diagnose. For example, for adult outpatients, the most common misdiagnosis errors are related to cancer and heart attacks.

Most of the residents in a nursing home are elderly or infirmed and unable to take care of themselves. They may be at different stages of helplessness and insecurity, but they are usually weak and sometimes frail. The people who live in nursing homes are dependent on the people around them for help in all of the basics of life, as well as to help them improve their quality of life however possible. In short, they are easy targets for those who might abuse them in any number of ways.

When our loved ones have been abused in any way, it is usually by someone who knows his or her victim can’t fight back or even understand what is happening to them. There are more kinds of abuse than just physical, although that is the one that most often comes to mind when we think about nursing home abuse. The major forms of abuse are verbal, emotional, and physical. The following kinds of abuse are most often cited in nursing home cases:

Degrading the Patient Verbally

Threatening the Patient

Emotional Manipulation of the Patient

Emotionally Threatening the Patient

Physical Injury of the Patient

Manipulating the Patient Physically

Sexual Abuse of the Patient

If you or a loved one has been abused in an assisted living or nursing home situation, contact our personal injury attorney in Tampa, FL, at The Law Offices of James G. Souza III, P.A. Call (813) 254-9205 to discuss your case.

With millions of car accidents each year in the United States, it turns out that whiplash is the most common injury suffered in these situations. Whiplash is what happens to the neck or back when a person’s neck stretches out and then abruptly snaps back into place due to the vehicle suddenly stopping or accelerating. More serious injuries in car accidents include brain and spinal cord injuries. However, even minor injuries can be expensive to treat, which is why it is always best to consider filing a personal injury claim.

The most serious common car accident injuries involve trauma to the brain and head. These injuries, often known as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), occur when a person’s head is struck by or hits an object. Following are some more of the most common injuries sustained from vehicle accidents:

Bruising, Swelling, or Bleeding of the Brain

Concussions

Skull Fractures

Cervical Fractures

Herniated Discs

Fractured Vertebrae

Neck or Back Strain

Spinal Cord Injuries

Facial Injuries Including Teeth & Jaws

Psychological Injuries

When you have been in an accident, seek the help of a leading auto accident attorney in Tampa, FL, at The Law Offices of James G. Souza III, P.A. Depending on your case, we factor in the cost of any permanent disability, minor or major injury, and include lost wages, medical costs, and a fair settlement.

It is not easy to tell when children fall whether or not they have sustained serious head injuries that require immediate attention. Most children—especially toddlers—are prone to bumping their heads as they start to walk, run, and jump. Fortunately, most of the head injuries incurred by young children are innocuous. However, they do occur more often in comparison to adult head injuries. Some of the reasons young children are more likely to sustain a head injury include:

Lack of Head Movement Control

Underdeveloped Neck Muscles

Proportionately shorter legs

Some of the most common head injuries in toddlers are from falling and being abused. A head injury in a person this young may result in injuries to the brain. If you suspect that a serious head injury has taken place, check the child for difficulty breathing, being in a state of shock, and severe bleeding. These symptoms may require immediate medical attention. The child may also have hurt his or her back, as well as the face, mouth, and teeth if there has been a head injury.

In any case, monitor your child for a full 24 hours after a head injury and note any unusual changes. Watch the child carefully to see whether he or she develops any signs of a life-threatening head wound. Our brain injury attorney in Tampa, FL, has handled numerous head-injury cases. Visit JimSouzaLaw.com when you need help determining the nature of your case.

Welcome to the personal injury blog for The Law Offices of James G. Souza III, P.A. Future blogs will highlight what’s involved in personal injury cases for both the sufferer and his or her loved ones. We provide a guide to assist loved ones of people who die suddenly, to help them in the death, funeral, and health benefit details. In our experience we have come to know how difficult it is for most people to know what to do when someone they love dies suddenly.

Attorney James Souza, a leading personal injury attorney Tampa, FL, has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1994. His firm has won Millions in compensation in many cases for families of individuals who have died in accidental deaths, such as vehicle and motorcycle accidents, falls, violent attacks, pedestrian accidents, and other negligence-related causes of death. We are here for those who have suffered, or are related

When you or someone you love has been injured because of the negligent actions of another, rely on James Souza to fight for your rights. We are with you every step of the way. It is our privilege to be of use to you throughout this painful and cumbersome time.